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Origin and history of self-control

self-control(n.)

"restraint of one's desires," 1711, from self- + control (n.). Coined by English moral philosopher Anthony Ashley-Cooper, Earl of Shaftesbury (1671-1713). Related: Self-controlled; self-controlling. He also used self-command "that equanimity which enables one in any situation to be reasonable and prudent" (1690s).

also from 1711

Entries linking to self-control

control(n.)

1580s, "act of keeping under authority and regulation, fact of checking and directing action," from control (v.).

The meaning "a check, restraint" is from 1590s. The meaning "a standard of comparison in scientific experiments" is by 1857, probably from German Controleversuche. Airport control tower is from 1920; control-room is attested by 1897. Control freak "person who feels an obsessive need to have command of any situation" is by 1969.

self-

word forming element indicating "oneself," also "automatic," from Old English use of self (pron.) in compounds, such as selfbana "suicide," selflice "self-love, pride, vanity, egotism," selfwill "free will." Middle English had self-witte "one's own knowledge and intelligence" (early 15c.).

OED counts 13 such compounds in Old English. Middle English Compendium lists four, counting the self-will group as a whole. It re-emerges as a living word-forming element mid-16c., "probably to a great extent by imitation or reminiscence of Greek compounds in (auto-)," and formed a great many words in the pamphlet disputes of the 17c.

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    self-denial
    "act of denying one's own wishes; refusal to satisfy one's own desires," 1640s, from self- + denial. Self-denial is to be presumed wise, necessary, or benevolent, unless indication is given to the contrary ; it may be the denial of selfishness; it may be not only the refusal to
    possession
    mid-14c., possessioun, "act or fact of holding, occupying, or owning; a taking possession, occupation," also "thing possessed, that which is possessed, material or landed property" (in plural, goods, lands, or rights owned), from Old French possession "fact of having and holding;
    impotent
    ," from Old French impotent "powerless, weak, incapable of doing," from Latin imponentem (nominative impotens) "lacking control..., powerless, feeble; lacking self-control," from assimilated form of in- "not, opposite of" (see in- (1)) + ponentem (nominative...The figurative sense in Latin was "without self-control, headstrong, violent, ungovernable, lacking self-restraint," which...
    countenance
    Also formerly "controlled behavior, self-control, composure" (c. 1300); in Chaucer to catch (one's) contenaunce is to gain...self-control....
    impotence
    15c., "physical weakness," also "poverty," from Old French impotence "weakness" (13c.), from Latin impotentia "lack of control...or power," from impotentem "lacking control, powerless" (see impotent)....The figurative senses of the word in Latin were "violence, fury, unbridled passion," via the notion of "want of self-restraining...
    temperance
    mid-14c., "self-restraint, moderation," from Anglo-French temperaunce (mid-13c.), from Latin temperantia "moderation, sobriety..., discretion, self-control," from temperans, present participle of temperare "to moderate" (see temper (v.))....
    classicism
    Classicism enjoins self-control; romanticism encourages self-indulgence. Classicism is mold; romanticism is matter....
    resolution
    late 14c., resolucioun, "a breaking or reducing into parts; process of breaking up, dissolution," from Old French resolution (14c.) and directly from Latin resolutionem (nominative resolutio) "process of reducing things into simpler forms," noun of action from past-participle ste
    abstinence
    mid-14c., "forbearance in indulgence of the appetites," from Old French abstinance (earlier astenance), from Latin abstinentia "abstinence, starvation; self-restraint, integrity," abstract noun from abstinentem (nominative abstinens), present participle of abstinere/abstenere "wi
    resolve
    late 14c., resolven, "melt, dissolve, reduce to liquid; separate into component parts; alter, alter in form or nature by application of physical process," " intransitive sense from c. 1400; from Old French resolver or directly from Latin resolvere "to loosen, loose, unyoke, undo;

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